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Believing it has a mission, this little 
volume is sent on its way, wilh a 
prayer that it may inspire many young 
lives to active Christian service, and 
with the hope that neither the singer 
nor the song will be forgotten. 

THE AUTHOR. 



I 




ANDREW BRUNER. 



How Andrew Won 



By 

A. M. Bruner 

Author of 
"Clover Blossoms" 



The Winona Publishing Company 
Chicago 






UBRARY«tCOIWRESs| 
Two GoplM Recelvod '' 
JUL 18 1907 
CwryneM Cntw ^ 

Cl^S ^ XXcfte. 

/7d7Sr 

COPY Q. 



y 



COPYRIGHT, 1906, A. M. BRUNER. 



First to his mother, then to his Sunday school 

teacher and class who organized the Flower 

Mission in his memory, with many 

others who knew and loved 

him, this little volume 

is affectionately 

dedicated. 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

Chapter 1. Autobiography 9 

2. In the Shadow 11 

3. Spring Vacation Diary 14 

4. His Letters 17 

5. Play 31 

6. School 36 

7. Friends 53 

8. Home 69 

9. Church 68 

10. Sunnyside 75 

11. What They Told 80 

12. The Homeland 99 



"Only a beam of sunshine, 

But oh, it was warm and bright; 
The heart of a weary traveler 

Was cheered by its welcome sight. 
Only a beam of sunshine 

That fell from the arch above, 
And tenderly, softly whispered 

A message of peace and love." 



CHAPTER I. 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY, 

I was born in the city of Rock 
Island on the seventh day of Janu- 
ary, 1894, and was named Andrew. 

My father's name is Albert Brun- 
er, and my mother's name, Augusta 
Bruner. My father is a Young Men's 
Christian Association secretary, and 
has been for the past twenty years. 

I attended two schools, one named 
Lincoln, and the other Kimball. 

I moved to Elgin, and now take up 
the same studies I had in my old 
home. They are arithmetic, gram- 
mar, literature, spelling, music, phy- 
siology, drawing, history and geog- 
raphy. 

I love books and outdoor sports, 
such as baseball, football, and I also 
like to play indoor games, but I love 



10 Iloiv Andreiu Won 

the open air best. The kind of books 
I like to read are adventurous books 
and witty books as well. 

I get up at half past six every 
morning and finish my work and 
then help my mother with the 
breakfast work. 

It is in my mind to attend a 
higher school after I finish' my 
grammar school work. 

I have good friends and have a 
good mother. 

I have not, as yet, thought what 
I will do in the business line, but 
know it is better to be good than 
rich, wise or noble. 

Andrew Bruner. 
(Written aibout January 1, 1906.) 



CHAPTER II. 

IN THE SHADOW. 

No one could tell just how it hap- 
pened. Andrew returned from school 
at four p. m.y on Wednesday, April 
4, 1906, and immediately started for 
the studio to take his lesson on the 
violin. He returned at five p. m. 
and left his instrument. He started 
at once for the river, and with three 
other boys rowed across to the west 
side. They had two dogs with them 
and started a rabbit from cover soon 
after landing. Within an hour they 
started for the east side, when they 
discovered they had left the dogs. 
Returning, they lifted them into the 
boat and a second time started for 
the east shore. A freight train was 
passing near the river, and one of 
the boys cried out, ''Look, what a 
11 



12 How Andrew Won 

big engine!" It is supposed the en- 
tire company, turning suddenly, up- 
set the boat and they were thrown 
into the icy water. Andrew started 
to swim toward the shore, evidently 
believing it the best plan for safety. 
His three companions clung to the 
boat and were rescued a little later. 
A railroad brakeman, seeing the ac- 
cident, rushed down to the river and 
plunged in at once to the rescue. 
Andrew sank out of sight when 
the brakeman was within a short dis- 
tance of him. The brakeman turned 
at once to the three boys clinging 
to the boat, floating bottom side up 
on the water, and succeeded in get- 
ting them safely to shore. He then 
returned to the spot where Andrew 
had disappeared and made two unsuc- 
cessful attempts to recover the body. 
Later, through the untiring efforts 
of the chief of police and his helpers, 
the body was recovered and taken to 
the undertakers, where on the fol- 



How Andrew Won 13 

lowing morning, at the coroner's in- 
quest a verdict of "accidental 
drowning" was rendered. 



CHAPTER III. 

SPRING (VACATION DIARY. 

Monday, March 26th. 

It rained all morning, and I 
worked around the house, and in the 
afternoon I went over to Fred's 
house and we played games and 
spend it in that way. 

Tuesday, March 27th. 

I played with my brother and 
went down town and played at the 
Y. M. C. A. till dinner time and 
then went home. After dinner I 
went to a neighbor's house and 
played the rest of the afternoon. 

Wednesday, March 28th. 

Played at home all morning, and 
in the afternoon I took a music les- 
son, and then took a ride on Lea's 
burro. 

14 



How Andrew Won 15 

Thursday, March 29th. 

Fred and I went down town and 
I went to the doctor's with Fred, and 
then we went over to his father's 
store; got some candy and met Miss 
Ellis there; went down to his house 
and kicked tin cans over a high 
board fence with wire over the top, 
all afternoon. 



Friday, March 30th. 

I went to Fred's house on a pair 
of stilts and found him beating rugs, 
but I think he did a poor job, he 
got done so quick. We went down 
town when he was through and 
walked to the watch factory ; then to 
the Y. M. C. A. and went home at 
eleven o'clock, and in the afternoon 
we w^ent to a horse auction, and after 
that we went to the woods and made 
a fire, and about five we went home 
and played marbles till supper time. 



16 How Andrew Won 

Saturday, March 31st. 

I practiced and then took a short 
music lesson, and then went up to 
find Fred up, for before I went down 
town he was in bed with a bad cold. 
In the afternoon I played at a re- 
cital, and after I got home I went 
to see Harry Chelseth, for he had 
been sick with scarlet fever for a 
long while. I spent the afternoon 
there and after supper went down 
town. 



CHAPTER IV. 

HIS LETTERS. 

The following vacation letters 
were written between June 14, 1901 
(when he was about seven years of 
age), and September 27, 1905, four 
years later. 

''Kimball Nebraska, June 11^, 1901. 
Dear Mamma : 

I had the headache yesterday, but 
I am all right today. We are hav- 
ing lots of fun, playing ball, riding 
horseback and breaking horses. We 
went to town to church yesterday, 
and it rained, so we had to stay in 
town all night. Philip. Paul, Aunt 
Emma and I had supper at Linn's 
and we had breakfast at Uncle 
Frank's. 

Philip came home with Oscar 

17 



18 How Andrew Won 

Linn on the little pony yesterday, 
and Oscar killed a big bull snake 
that was three feet long, and Philip 
and Oscar each killed a sand lizard 
yesterday. Philip and Oscar got a 
whole lot of wild roses. 

Perhaps we will go to Uncle Al- 
fred's house tomorrow 

Wednesday was Philip's birthday, 
and Emma gave him a pair of cuff 
buttons, and Mr. Shaefer gave him a 
pin something like this. (Here Phil- 
ip had drawn a pen sketch of the 
pin.) 

Your son, 
Andrew." 



''Kimball, July 20, 1901. 
Dear Papa: 

We are all well, and I hope you are 
too. We have been having a good 
time ever since we have been out 
here. Philip was bucked off of Un- 
cle Alfred's horse. I do not want 



How Andrew Won 19 

you to tell Mamma because she will 
feel so bad about it. He got on the 
horse and no one knew it, but he 
did not get hurt at all. 

I have been to Sunday School 
every Sunday. 

We are going to Uncle Alfred's 
tomorrow. It was Uncle Emil's birth- 
day yesterday and we were there for 
supper. 

Good bye, 
Your son, 

Andrew Bruner." 



''Reynolds, 111, July 13, 1902. 
Dear Mamma: 

I am having a nice time, and I 
hope you are better. We got the 
barn moved all right after a lot of 
trouble. I think John, Will, Cyrus 
and I together have killed about four 
hundred ground squirrels. 

The other day as I was going to 



20 How Andrew Won 

town alone, two miles and a half 
away, I was walking down the road 
and I spied a pole eat, a young wild 
beast. He was black all over and 
had pointed ears and a white stripe 
down his back. He stared at me and 
them made for the hedge. I went 
back and got two clubs and walked 
on. The bumble bees whizzing 
around my head made me just so 
mad. 

Pearl sends lier love to you and 
all the rest. 

Good bye. 

Your son, 
Andrew." 



"Reynolds, III, July W, 1902. 
Dear Mamma: 

We are all well, and I hope the 
same with you. I had a fine time on 
the Fourth. I had a pin wheel, two 
sky rockets, two roman candles and 
a few other things. I was very much 



How Andrew Won 21 

obliged for the money. I went to 
Hamlet, a little town a few miles 
from our place and we went in 
swimming. Will, John and myself 
and a man named Ed. Kouch. 

I went to Sunday School and 
brought Eugene out here with me 
this morning. 

This afternoon I forgot to write, 
so as soon as I had finished my sup- 
per I thought I would write you a 
letter, as Papa said you were anxious 
to hear from me. I will write next 
Sunday. 

It is getting near bedtime, good 
bye. 

Your son, 

Andrew.'^ 



''Reynolds, 111, June 21, 1903. 
Dear Mamma: 

I got to Reynolds all right, but 
when I got home I found that I 
had left my violin on the train and 



22 How Andrew Won 

it had gone to Sherrard. Pearl tele- 
phoned and found out where it was. 
It is to be sent back tomorrow. 

I went to Sunday School this 
morning and was put in the second 
class. Silas is Superintendent of the 
Sunday School. 

Aunt 'K' said that Papa wrote I 
was coming Saturday morning, and 
she went to town on purpose to get 
me. 

Eugene and I helped Aunt 'K' 
with the dinner dishes. 

This is a short letter. 

Your loving son, 
Andrew.'^ 



''Reynolds, III, July 21, 190^. 
Dear Mrs. Lovett: 

I am having a good time out here, 
and I hope you are the same way. 
The folks out here have just done 
haying, and every night I had about 
a handful of hayseed down my neck. 



Row Andreiu Won 23 

How are you and Mr. Lovett mak- 
ing it these days? It is awfully hot 
out here. I am coming dn the day -af- 
ter tomorrow to stay over Sunday, and 
come back Monday, after seeing the 
show. How are all my classmates 
getting along? I have not had a word 
from any of them since leaving 
home. Tell Leo Stevens he owes me 
a letter. I wrote to him a long while 
ago. I am going to speak a piece at a 
social out here called the 'Light- 
bearers^ on August 15th. I have no 
more to say. 

Good bye, 
Your Sunday School scholar, 
Andrew Bruner." 

"P. S. I send my best regards to 
all the class." 



''Reynolds, III, June 25, 190^. 
Dear Mamma: 

I am having a good time. You 
must remember about Barnum and 



24 How Andrew Won 

Bailey's show, for I want to go real 
bad. Eugene is going with his papa, 
and I will try and have them stay 
for supper. 

I Tvill send you a paper that Ella 
brought from the World's Fair. See 
if you can fix it in the form of a 
little safe; beg your pardon, but I 
cannot get it in the envelope. 

Pearl brought me a pencil with an 
emerald on the end. I want at least 
some money for the Fourth. Eugene 
is going to have about half a dollar. 

I will write Leo Stevens, because I 
promised him I would. You must 
write me soon with the money for 
the Fourth. 

Ella said to send her love. 

Your son, 

Andrew." 

The half dollar was seni and a 
good time thus assured. 



How Andrew Won 25 

''Reynolds, July 18, IGOJf.. 
Dear Papa: 

Everything is going fine out here. 
We are putting up hay. No acci- 
dents have happened to me since I 
have been out here, only I ran about 
thirty thorns in my feet. 

I have killed twenty rats and Eu- 
gene ten this summer. Did the great 
big ( ?) mean for me to write, or what 
did it mean? My fingers and hands 
and everything else did not get hurt 
on the Fourth. 

I did not have any stamps, so I 
was unable to write. 

Maybe Cyrus will come up on the 
25th to see Paul. I have been coax- 
ing him all the time. Eugene and 
Rob will come and stay for dinner, I 
am quite sure. 

I have a surprise for Mamma when 
I get there. I know she will like it. 

Ella is coming up some time to 
see you and Mamma. 



26 How Andrew Won 

You can either send me the money 
or else Aunt 'K^ will pay my way 
up. I have five hats, two advertise- 
ments, one straw, one jockey and a 
Sunday hat. 

I am on a big ball team. We beat 
Aledo nine to nothing the other day. 
We are going to play the Hamlet 
team in about two weeks and beat 
them. I can stand on my head five 
minutes and more and on my hands 
a little bit. 

I will tell the rest Sunday. 

Andrew." 



''Moline, 111, July 10, 1905. 
Dear Paul: 

How are you getting along? I am 
having a good time. The girls up 
here are getting up a ball team. They 
can play pretty good. Mrs. John- 
ston is manager. 

Write and tell me if Dutch is send- 
ing you the ball news and if he is 



How Andrew Won 27 

not I will send it. I went to a game 
about a week before I came up here 
and bought some peanuts and Dutch 
was there. I gave him some, and he 
got some 'ice cold water' and then 
some cracker jack. 

I went fishing the other day with 
another 'kid' that I go with, eight 
years old, and we caught two carp 
on our line. I have four lines out 
now. We got some fish in a seine 
this morning bigger than a minnow ; 
two bull heads, two carp, about ten 
white fish and some other kind. We 
have great fun. 

Please write me. Rock Island ball 
team is having tough luck. 

I did not go camping, but the 
'kids' passed here. 

Good bye. 

Your brother, 

Andrew." 



28 How Andrew Won 

Diary, July 4, 1905. 

''Today I am staying with some 
folks in Moline, and am having a 
fine time. It was the night of July 
3rd, that we went down town and 
got a lot of fireworks. 

The morning of July 4th, I got 
up real early and was ver}^ much 
disappointed because it was sprink- 
ling and I did not think I would en- 
joy it, but it finally stopped and the 
sky cleared and then I shot my fire 
works and had a good time. In the 
afternoon at 2 : 30 we all went to 
Bock Island, a city a few miles be- 
low on the Mississippi River, and 
we took a boat from there and went 
down the river to Muscatine, a city 
about ten miles below, and got back 
at eight o'clock, when we got some 
fireworks and shot them off till 
about eleven o'clock, and then went 
to bed." 



How Andrew Won 29 

''Moline, III, July 25, 1905, 
Dear Mamma: 

How are you getting along? I am 
having a great time here. I play 
ball most of the time. Yesterday 
we went fishing and caught one lit- 
tle channel cat-fish four inches long. 

There is a boy here who lives in 
Ottawa, Illinois (where '^Starved 
Rock" is) staying near us, and we 
play with him all the time. When 
I went fishing I got dirty and Mr. 
Johnston got sore, and now I have to 
stay in the yard all the rest of the 
week. I have been at Chautauqua, 
and I saw James with Welds Sunday 
afternoon. 

I went in swimming at Prospect 
Park lake. I can swim about a rod. 

James is going on an excursion on 
the W. W. to Muscatine and back, 
ten cents round trip. I had to pay 
$1.00 on the J. S., July 4th. 



30 Hoiu Andrew Won 

I am sorry I did not get to give 
young Smith a birthday present. 

Good bye, 
Your son, 

Andrew." 



CHAPTER V. 

PLAY. 

In Rock Island, in the rear of the 
lot, there was a deep grotto, formed 
by the removal of earth many years 
before. On one side was an oak tree 
in which a swing had been placed. 
One end of the rope was loosed, and 
standing on a stump on one side of 
the grotto, the children would swing 
out into space and whirl rapidly 
around the tree until they landed 
on the other side ; then, with a shout, 
they would sail out into space again 
with the delightful creeping sensa- 
tion of one flying, and landing on 
the bank, would hand the rope to 
some one waiting their turn. 

There was usually a goodly com- 
pany waiting for the ride, which, by 
the children was called ^'The Round 

31 



32 How Andrew Won 

Trip." Often we would stand on the 
porch and watch the performance, 
and I can almost see Andrew's form 
flying around the tree and hear his 
merry laugh as he passed the rope 
to one of those waiting, and with ani- 
mation would say, ^'It's your turn 
now." 

BASEBALL. 

In the summer of 1904, the writer 
accepted an invitation from the boys 
to pay their way and witness a ball 
game between the Davenport and 
Rock Island teams. We mounted 
the bleachers, Andrew and I sitting 
together, he all the while industri- 
ously explaining the game and giv- 
ing information as to the relative 
merits of the contesting teams. My 
thoughts had wandered far away on 
some Association problem, when a 
mighty shout caused me to raise my 
eyes to the field to see that a clever 
hit had fairly cleared the bases. "Not 
so bad, Andrew, not so bad," I said, 



How Andrew Won 33 

to show that I at least, was paying 
some attention to the game. With a 
look of honest indignation and tears 
glistening in his big blue eyes he 
replied in a trembling voice, ^'It's 
too bad, that makes eight for Daven- 
port." Glancing at the score board, 
I saw that the score stood two to 
eight, in favor of Davenport, and 
then realized my blunder. From that 
hour I have been interested in the 
national game. 

As I write these lines his score 
book for 1905 lies before me, in 
which he has recorded the games of 
that year during his summer vaca- 
tion spent in Moline. He loved the 
game and was an enthusiast, inspir- 
ing others to interest. 

SILVER THIMBLE. 

fe "I think Aunt 'K' should have a 
silver thimble. She has nothing but 
a brass thimble, and I am going to 
try to save money enough to buy her 



34 How Andrew Won 

a silver one for a Christmas present/^ 
said Andrew, on returning from his 
summer vacation in 1904. Twice he 
had expressed a desire to make the 
present, but with a heart o'er-fiowing 
with love for everybody, his Christ- 
mas money failed to do all that he 
had hoped. When he was carried 
back to sleep near the scenes of his 
summer vacation, the silver thimble 
was sent, and the engraving read, 
'To Aunt 'K' from Andrew.'' 

THE SWING. 

When we visited Aunt ''K's" they 
led us out past the big deep well 
along side of the old-fashioned flow- 
er garden to a maple grove near the 
orchard and showed us a rope swing, 
high from the ground, which An- 
drew had placed there two years be- 
fore. Evidently he would climb the 
tree to get into the swing, and then 
with his bare feet push out from the 
tree, and with the delightful sensa- 



How Andrew Won 35 

tion of being suspended in mid air, 
shut in by green walls, with the song 
of a hundred birds ringing in his 
ears, he would swing back and forth 
and dream of the great outside 
world about which he had read in 
his favorite books. 

"We could not bear to take it 
down," they told us, and at once 
the place where some of his happiest 
hours were spent became a hallowed 
spot to us. 

All dreams come true in the land 
where he has gone, and by and by 
he will tell us about those wonderful 
hours in the swing down by Aunt 
"K's" orchard. 



CHAPTER VI. 

SCHOOL. 

''601 Brooh St., Elgin, III 

September 27, 1905. 
Dear Friend Donald: 

I am sure you will wish you were 
here when I tell you about the fine 
time I am having. Although I do 
get lonesome, I have a fine time. I 
will tell you the good time I had 
arrow-head hunting. 

Of course, you know, I did not 
get any, which is my luck always. 
We found some chips, but no per- 
fect arrow-heads. We started early 
and went to Uncle John^s farm. We 
hunted a few hours till we got hun- 
gry and then we went home, but we 
had lots of fun. I wish you could see 
our fine collection of arrow-heads 
now. 

36 



How Andrew Won 37 

I attend school here and like it 
fine, although I find the studies hard, 
but I will soon get used to it. I have 
a fine teacher who is willing to help 
me. We have manual training here, 
and the other day when we did not 
have our material we were all sent 
back. 

Please send me the address of some 
of my old friends. 

Good bye, 
Your loving friend, 

Andrew.'' 

"P. S. Give my regards to the 
family and write soon." 



The following was taken from his 
composition book: 

A CHRISTMAS STORY. 

Jimmy Coleman was a poor little 
newsboy who lived in the city of 
New York. 



38 Row Andrew Won 

It was two days before Christmas: 
"I guess I'll buy some nuts for Jes- 
sie," he said, ''and she can put them 
away until Christmas, and as I only 
have seven cents, I am afraid we 
won't have a very happy time Christ- 
mas.'^ 

Next morning he was up early and 
was down to the news stand before any 
of the other boys were there. After 
getting the papers, he quickly 
scanned the headlines for some big 
event, but there was none, but his 
heart was light and he whistled as 
he trudged along. 

No one seemed to notice him. It 
was very cold and Jimmy was almost 
frozen, but luck was bound to come. 
A tall, richly-dressed man came up, 
bought a paper, and handed Jim a 
dollar and moved quickly on. 
''Thankee mister," called Jimmy, 
as the man was lost to sight in the 
rapidly increasing crowds of Christ- 
mas buyers. 



Hoic Andrew Won 39 

He thought there was no use to 
sell any more papers, so he bought 
a chicken for seventy-five cents, then 
boarded a car, and while all were 
talking and chattering about Christ- 
mas, the little boy fell asleep and the 
bundle of papers fell from his grasp 
to the floor. 

A kind woman picked up his bun- 
dle and put it on his lap and put 
a dollar in his vest pocket and 
walked on. Soon others began to 
open hearts and purses, and the lit- 
tle boy's pockets began to bulge out. 

Nickels, pennies, dimes and quar- 
ters jingled in his pockets, and even 
the grim old conductor passed a 
dime into his pocket. Soon the con- 
ductor awakened him and told him 
he might miss his place. He rang 
the bell when he got to the right 
place, and when he got out he be- 
gan to feel cold, the air outside be- 
ing a great contrast to the warm car. 
He put his hands into his pockets 



40 How Andrew Won 

to get them warm, when, wonders 
of wonders, he brought up a handful 
of money. 

You may guess for yourself if 
there was not a happy Christmas at 
Jimmy's next morning. 



NARCISSUS. 

''Once upon a time there was a 
man named Pan, and he was a Sa- 
tyr as much and more than a man, 
and he was King of the Satyrs. 

Pan fell in love with a beautiful 
girl named Echo, but Echo had never 
seen a more beautiful man than 
Pan, because she lived in the woods 
and had no chance to see any one, 
and she thought rather than marry 
ugly Pan, she would go unmarried. 

But, one day as she was walking 
in the woods, she chanced to meet 
Narcissus, who was very beautiful. 
Then he told her if she would show 
him his image he would marry her, 



How Andrew Won 41 

so Echo led the way to the lake and 
showed him his image. 

He forgot all about his promise 
and stayed and looked at his image 
till he pined away and Echo also 
pined away till she had nothing left 
but her voice. 

And that is why, when you go out 
into the woods and shout, ''Echo" 
answers back to you in the. same 
words. 

THE FINDING OF GABRIEL. 

One Sabbath morning as Evange- 
line was in the city of Pestilence, she 
went to the Alms House to make 
some of the sick happy, and on her 
way she gathered flowers to give to 
the sick. She could hear the bell of 
the Christian church ringing out an 
invitation to the people, and she 
thought of Gabriel and went into the 
Alm^ House. 

Something seemed to say to her, 
"Now all my troubles will be ended 



42 How Andrew Won 

soon." As she walked along the aisles, 
the sick turned on their pillows of 
pain to gaze on her sweet face as she 
passed. 

Suddenly, Evangeline started, and 
a cry of terrible anguish escaped her 
lips, as she saw before her an old 
man who looked up lovingly at her, 
and she cried out, ^^Gabriel, Oh, my 
beloved,'^ and she fell down at the 
bedside before him. He tried in 
vain to utter her name, but the ac- 
cents remained on his lips unuttered. 

As he breathed his last, Evange- 
line bent over him and murmured, 
sadly and meekly, ^Tather, I thank 
thee." 

JAMES-FITZ- JAMES VISIT. 

James-Fitz-James and about one 
hundred mounted hunters were chas- 
ing a stag. They started it where 
it was drinking on Monan's rill. 

There were a hundred hounds and 
they were leading a very hard chase, 



How Andrew Won 43 

but the stag was very fleet and the 
shout and horn-blowing echoed and 
re-echoed and the mountains around 
kept answering the shouts which 
seemed to increase his speed. 

The men were afraid of losing 
their horses, and they kept gradually 
falling out. They were afraid to stem 
the flooded firth at the risk of losing 
their lives, but many went over, and 
when they reached the '^Brigg of 
Turk," the foremost horseman rode 
alone. He was James-Fitz-James. 
He kept following, but could not 
gain any. His horse was foaming 
at the mouth and laboring hard to 
get his breath, and when he was 
about to get the stag, it made a 
mighty dash and escaped, and then 
the horse fell and labored hard to 
keep breathing, but it was no use, 
he died mid the sobs of the rider, 
who cursed the day of his horse's 
death, but finally arose and walked 
on and on. He had lost his way and 



44 How Andrew Won 

was wandering about blowing his 
horn, thinking he might run across 
some of his friends. He wandered 
till he found himself on the shores 
of a lake (Loch Katrine) and in 
the midst of the lake was an island, 
and while he stood peering through 
the bushes, he blew his horn and in- 
stantly a beautiful lady in a light 
shallop started out from an aged oak 
that grew on the shore of the island, 
and as she emerged she called 'fa- 
ther, was thine the blast," and hear- 
ing no answer, she grew more timid, 
and then said, ^'Malcolm, was it 
you?" and then James-Fitz- James 
emerged from the bushes and an- 
nounced his coming and his being 
a stranger; and she kindly took him 
into her boat and cai^ried him to the 
island where she took him to a log 
house that was in a secluded place, 
and he entered and beheld many 
relics of the hunt and the chase. 
There were deer heads, wildcat rugs 



How Andrew Won 45 

and skins and many others. In fact, 
the room was full of these trophies. 
His coming had been told by the 
family minstrel, "Alan-an-Bane," for 
he was a prophet and had fully de- 
scribed him before he had come. 

He was well entertained and was 
never asked a question because of 
the reverence at that time for guests. 
He had horrible dreams that night 
and went out into the open air, and 
after a while went back and slept 
peacefully the rest of the night ; and 
was ready to take his leave, and 
when he did, the next morning, he 
was glad at having met such a fine 
lady. 

MY VOYAGE. 

In the year 1492, in the country 
of Spain, August 3, I started in one 
of the three ships fitted out for Col- 
umbus, to sail on to a trackless ocean 
in the hope of finding a new route to 
Asia, where Spain was now carrying 
on its chief trade. But before I tell 



46 How Andrew Won 

you about the voyage, I will tell you 
the story of my life: 

I was born in the city of Madrid, 
on the fifteenth day of October, in 
the year of 1467. I may as well 
say, my father was a sailor, and I 
used to go for months at a time and 
stay with relatives. I naturally be- 
came attached to the sea, and longed 
for the time when I would be old 
enough to go out in the big ships 
and sail away. How I longed for 
the time to come. 

But, soon I had other things to 
think about, for when I was ten years 
of age, my mother died. I was very 
sorry, because she had been a good 
mjother to me. 

At the age of fifteen, my father 
also died, and I went to the coast to 
live. I was very sorry for my fa- 
ther's death, yet was happy, for now 
I was to be near the sea always. 

I was twenty when I went to work. 
It was in a ship and I was filled with 



How Andrew Won 47 

delight at the prospect of being a 
sailor. I worked there for a long 
time, and afterwards took employ- 
ment in many different ships till I 
could do anything that was required 
in the way of ship help. 

I had been on a few adventurous 
trips, and on one occasion had been 
lost on ship-board, and we had been 
without food or water for four days. 
I have been on many other trips of 
adventures which I will not relate 
here. 

But, it happened that during my 
travels I became acquainted with 
Columbus, the now famous Genoese, 
and we became the warmest of 
friends. It so came about that when 
Columbus started out in search of a 
new route to Asia, which route he 
wished to be shorter than the one 
by which trade was now being car- 
ried on, that I was asked to accom- 
pany him on the voyage. Although 
I disliked very much to leave this 



48 How Andrew Won 

country and n^ wife and children, 
perhaps never to return, being an 
adventurous person, I gladly ac- 
cepted his invitation. And it came 
about that I sailed with Columbus. 

At this time the people were very 
superstitious and were convinced that 
there were great dangers in the un- 
dertaking; and then, too, they 
thought that the earth was flat and 
any one sailing out too far on the 
ocean would be swallowed up by the 
sea gods which were supposed to lurk 
about the sea, but if they escaped the 
gods, they would fall off the end of 
the earth and be killed. 

But Columbus was not so super- 
stitious himself as to believe these 
things. He thought the earth was 
round. 

When we started there were 
crowds to see us depart. I sadly said 
good bye to my friends and wife and 
children, and we were off. 

I enjoyed it very much, but after 



How Andrew Won 49 

sailing for about two months and not 
seeing land, the rest of the sailors 
began to be scared and wished we 
had never started and begged Col- 
umbus to turn back. He said he was 
sure we would soon sight land, and 
so we went on. Finally, some of 
the sailors plotted to throw him over- 
board. He, however, learned of this, 
and to appease them he said the one 
that first saw land should have a 
velvet coat. 

We all watched day and night, 
and one day Columbus saw birds 
resting on the masts and sticks float- 
ing in the water and knew this was 
a sure sign of land and was very 
happy. 

One morning, a few days later, we 
heard the cry of ^Xand, land." We 
all rushed to the deck and saw before 
us a wide stretch of land which we 
looked upon with hungry eyes. Then 
we all went down and planted our 
flag in the name of Spain and held 



50 How Andrew Won 

a long ceremony. Columbus thought 
he was in India, although he did 
not see the beautiful cities, spices and 
silks, but he saw there the most curi- 
ous beings, and Columbus, thinking 
he was in India, called the inhabi- 
tants "Indians." 

We were in North America, in 
one of the Bahama Islands, and we 
found out that the Indians were 
afraid of us. They thought us and 
the white sails of our ships to be 
the spirits and they ran away, but 
they soon became bolder and were 
not afraid of us. They were of a 
dull red or copper colored com- 
plexion and were fierce and strong. 

We soon set sail again for Spain, 
and when we arrived the people 
crowded around to hear the news. 
The people soon became interested 
in the trip, and Columbus set sail 
with a great many more ships and 
men. He went on another great voy- 
age, but I only accompanied him on 



Row Andrew Won 51 

his first voyage to America, the most 
eventful of my career. 

A FISHING DAY. 

One Saturday morning my broth- 
er and I went fishing. We got up at 
four o'clock and ate our breakfast, 
we then dug our bait, and taking 
our fishing tackle, started. 

When we got to the fishing place, 
we threw in three long cast lines and 
then fished for three hours, and then 
we got tired watching our lines and 
went in swimming for a while. 

When we came out, we found that 
neither of us had caught anything, 
so we took our poles and fished for 
about an hour, and had a little bet- 
ter luck. My brother caught four 
big fish, and I caught two. We 
fished all morning and caught nine. 
After that we ate our lunch and sat- 
isfied our hunger and then we caught 
three more. We cooked those and 
ate them ourselves, as we were again 



52 How Andrew Won 

hungry. We hunted for turtle eggs 
and swam again, and then played 
games till we were tired, then we 
went back to our poles and lines and 
fished till we were tired. 

We then went home and ate like 
we were starved. 

We tried fishing again, but did not 
have such good luck as we had that 
Saturday. 



CHAPTER VII. 

FRIENDS. 

For a while after settling in Elgin, 
Andrew was very lonely and con- 
stantly talked about the friends in 
Rock Island. ''I just don't get used 
to the 'kids' here, Mamma," he would 
say. '^I suppose I will after a while, 
but I would like to see the Twenty- 
first Street 'kids' again and attend a 
baseball game down there." When 
he began to make friends, the loneli- 
ness began to disappear and he soon 
m:ade a place for himself in the com- 
munity. He would often talk to his 
mother about the Rock Island peo- 
ple and say, ''I like Elgin pretty 
well, but I cannot forget the Rock 
Island friends." 

53 



54 Hoiv Andrew Won 

THE NEW LEG. 

^'Has it come, Ed?" cried Andrew, 
as he entered the bedroom in eager 
expectancy. ^'Yes, it is here, An- 
drew," said Ed. ''Can you walk on 
it?" ''Yes, first rate," said Ed. "Let me 
see you do it," cried the little enthu- 
siast, and the man of fifty years, who 
had lost a leg by injury, adjusted the 
new artificial member and walked 
around the room, to Andrew's great 
delight. "It's great, isn't it, Ed?" 
said Andrew. "I am glad it's all 
right," and he smiled his satisfac- 
tion. 

Six weeks before, when Ed was in 
the hospital, Andrew, with other 
children, had visited him and car- 
ried flowers and good cheer, and 
afterwards, when he returned home 
and was still confined to his room, 
Andrew had, on various occasions, 
slipped in with his violin, and helped 
to beguile the lonely hours of the in- 



How Andrew Won 55 

jured man. It was not strange, there- 
fore, that the man of fifty brought 
flowers and followed our little man 
to his resting place on the day of 
his ^'Coronation." Smile for smile 
and flower for flower is the Master's 
own way to brighten His world and 
set the joy bells ringing. 



HUMOR. 

Andrew possessed a rare sense of 
humor that manifested itself in va- 
rious ways, but always in a manner 
not calculated to wound the feelings 
of others. All the latest conundrums 
were laid before the family, usually 
at meal time, and his eager face was 
an inspiration as he listened to the 
answers to questions propounded. 
On the Sunday before the accident, 
April 1st, Andrew called up a num- 
ber of his friends by phone. ''Is 
this 1906?" he would ask. '^o," 
came back the reply, "this is ." 



56 How Andrew Won 

''Better look at the calendar," called 
Andrew, and then with a merry lit- 
tle laugh, he would say, ''April first, 
good bye." 

He was so modest and friendly 
that he never gave ofiPence while car- 
rying forward his little schemes to 
promote diversion and amusement. 



COURTESY. 

After Andrew was gone, an elderly 
lady who passed the house daily for 
her meals said, "He was one of the 
most manly boys I ever met. He 
never failed to step out from the 
group of children with whom he was 
playing, and lift his cap to me with 
a winning smile, as if it were both 
a duty and pleasure to do so. The 
other children paid little attention, 
but I always looked for the little 
courtesy from him, and missed it 
sadly when he was gone." 



How Andrew Won 57 

THE PIGEONS. 

When our little man was brought 
back from the fatal boat ride on the 
Fox Eiver, the following articles were 
found in his pockets : 

A little edition of "John's Gos- 
pel," given by a friend three years 
before; an application for active 
membership in the Epworth League ; 
a pencil, a blue marble, his monthly 
school report card, received on the 
same day, not yet examined; and a 
little purse containing a half dollar, 
received on the same morning with 
which to purchase a pair of pigeons. 

Andrew and James were very in- 
sistent on having pets, and somehow, 
the number invariably increased un- 
til there had to be a reduction of the 
population. They had secured a rab- 
bit in the fall and kept adding to 
their number until they had a fam- 
ily of four. Fear for the fruit trees 
led to the suggestion that they could 



58 How Andrew Won 

be replaced with a pair of pigeons, 
which had the effect of their dispos- 
ing of the collection. But a day or 
two before the accident, when the 
rabbits were taken away, Andrew 
said, with tears in his eyes, ''Say, Mam- 
ma, I just hate to see that white rab- 
bit go." The pigeons, brought by his 
friend on the day we laid him away, 
are now circling about the barn, and 
as the sunlight glistens on their 
plumage, we think of the little owner 
who never saw them and for which 
the money found in his pocket was 
to be given. His friend refused the 
money when the pigeons were 
brought, and it became the nucleus 
of the "Flower Mission," founded in 

his memory by his Sunday School 
class. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



HOME. 



One day while helping his mother 
with the house work, in a little burst 
of confidence, Andrew said, '^Mam- 
ma, I never can enjoy my play when 
I know the work is not finished, and 
am always anxious to have it done 
before I leave the house." 



POETRY. 

"I just love poetry now since Miss 
Ellis interprets it," said Andrew. 
''We are studying the Lady of the 
Lake, and for a while I was not in- 
terested, but Miss Ellis has a way of 
interpreting that seems to change 
everything," and looking into his 
mother's face with a modest little 
smile, his own face beaming with 

59 



60 How Andrew Won 

enthusiasm;, he repeated, "I just love 
poetry now.^* 

IN DEMAND. 

As youngest of the older children, 
and eldest of the younger ones, Ad- 
drew was somehow expected to do 
errands for all. '^Run and get a 
pitcher of water, Andrew," or, "see 
how quickly you can get a leaf of 
bread, dinner is ready and the baking 
is not done. That's a good boy, An- 
drew." ''I don't see how we could get 
along without that child," said Mam- 
ma, "he does everything and never 
expects anything else." "I don't 
think Andrew gets a square deal," 
replied Papa, "he takes the responsi- 
bility for the entire family and gets 
the fewest favors." The little chil- 
dren demanded attention, and the 
older ones occasioned worry, but, 
somehow, Andrew was the link that 
bound together the demands and 
worries and smoothed out the wrin- 



How Andrew Won 61 

kles of the household. He appeared 
to regard it a duty and rarely com- 
plained that he was official errand 
boy for the family. 

BUSY. 

To a friend he said, "I wish the 
days were longer, there is so much 
to do.*' When he was not at work 
or play he could be found curled up 
on a settee in the library, buried deep 
in some book of adventure, 

MEETING PUNISHMENT. 

When a wee small lad, he would 
sometimes forget to return from play 
until a late hour at noon or night. 
He never waited to be called to re- 
port, but at once made his way to 
his mother's presence and stood wait- 
ing wiiik up-lifted eyes to be reproved. 
Usually she said in a quiet voice, 
"Andrew," to which he replied, 
"What;" then a little louder, "An- 



62 How Andrew Won 

drew," again he faintly replied, 
'^What," and to a third, ''Andrew," 
the tears would flow down his cheeks, 
and with a trembling voice he an- 
swered, ''What." This usually com- 
pleted the punishment and he ate 
his meal, but boy-like, promptly re- 
peated the offense the following day. 



EXPLORING. 

His longing to explore and see 
things grew, and while spending the 
summer with Aunt "K" on the farm, 
he was possessed with an irresistible 
longing to visit, with some house- 
movers. Preemption, a small village 
of less than a hundred inhabitants, 
five miles away. He asked permis- 
sion to make the trip, but was coun- 
seled against it. Unable, however, to 
resist the temptation, which was 
probably intensified by the house- 
movers desiring to hear him talk and 
sing, he made the visit. Overtaken 



How Andrew Won 63 

by a terrific rain storm, he returned 
dripping wet and covered with mud. 
Very crestfallen, but wath old time 
promptness, he sought Aunt ^^K," 
and as her eyes fell on his sorry look- 
ing little form, he burst into tears 
and said, -'If I had not gone I would 
never have seen Preemption." 



FAITHFUL. 

The day before the accident, An- 
drew was too ill to attend school, but 
in the afternoon, while feeling some- 
what better, he took a supply of '^Sa- 
vanol," for which he had the agency, 
and went out to make a sale. He 
was not successful, and returned in a 
little while and lay down on the 
couch again. It was his last effort, 
and showed his devotion to duty. 

A few days before, he was sent to 
the store for a loaf of bread. He re- 
turned very much cast down with 
the intelligence that the money was 



64 How Andrew Won 

lost. For not exercising care, he was 
requested to make payment for the 
bread out of his own funds. Hardly 
thinking it had been cared for, when 
payment afterward was tendered, the 
dealer said, '^Andrew paid for that a 
few days ago." Later, the nickel was 
found where he had accidentally 
dropped it in his dresser drawer. Its 
discovery brought back tender mem- 
ories of the boy who was trusty, con- 
scientious, honest and true to the 
heart's core. 



BIRTHDAYS. 

Andrew was an enthusiastic ob- 
server of birthdays. He it was who 
thought of presents, and he usually 
planted a kiss for each year on the 
cheek of the one being honored. 
*'Dear little Arpie, you are four years 
old to-day," or, ^'Hello, Mamma, this 
is your birthday," or, ''Do you know 
what day this is, Papa?" 



How Andrew Won 65 

If they celebrate birthdays yon- 
der, surely our little man will add to 
the occasions, for his chief joy con- 
sisted in making others feel that 
they were appreciated. 



SAVING PHILIP. 

It was not known until after the 
accident that Andrew had saved 
Philip, three years his senior, from 
a similar fate in the Fox River. 

Shortly after their removal to Elgin, 
the three brothers Paul, Philip, and 
Andrew, made daily trips to a point 
near the water works and spent half 
hours swimming. They called these 
swims ^^in-goers." Philip was over- 
taken with cramps, and Andrew, al- 
though three years younger, suc- 
ceeded in bringing him to shore. 
Fearing that knowledge of this might 
end their swimming excursions, they 
refrained from any allusion to the 
incident until after the fatal acci- 



66 Row Andrew Won 

dent that cut short the bright young 
life. Speaking of Philip^s rescue after- 
wards, one said, "He saved others, 
himself he could not save." 

THE LITTLE ROOM. 

For several months, Philip and 
Andrew had occupied a little back 
room together. It was here they had 
their '^pillow-battles," and where a 
"Big Bear'' came to awaken them in 
the morning with ferocious growls. 
They would feign sleep until the 
bear laid hold of them with great 
rough paws, and it was Andrew who 
first broke into a merry laugh and 
gave up the attempt to feign he was 
asleep. That room has become a 
sacred place. Here the boys ex- 
changed confidences and laid their 
plans for work and play. Some of 
the plans will find fulfillment in 
the life of the boy remaining, as a 
result of the happy hours spent to- 
gether in the "Little Back Koom." 



How Andrew Won 67 



When quite small, Andrew and 
Lois had a habit of coming to our 
bedroom every morning for a little 
visit. Often they would creep in be- 
fore it was light, climb into our bed, 
and at once begin to relate their 
dreams and their plans for the day. 
These visits led to our playfully call- 
ing them ^'Jack and Jill," and after- 
wards to the verses below, which ap- 
peared in a little volume entitled 
'^Clover Blossoms.'^ 

When, from the "fire place" of the East, 

The crimson daylight spills. 
On waning night, as finished feast, 

Across the glowing hills. 
Wee footsteps, light as thistle down, 

Fall in the silent room, 
And little white-robed forms peer 'round 

Through the receding gloom. 

"Is you 'wake, Mamma? We is here 

To visit you again;" 
And then another voice as near 

Says, "Papa, did it rain? 
Last night I had an awful dream; 

I've come to tell you how 
The time I gave that biggest scream, 

I saw a great black cow." 



68 How Andrew Won 



They quickly climb into our bed — 

This modern Jack and Jill — 
With flashing eye and nodding head, 

Followed by others still, 
They smile their joy and tell their grief. 

With quivering little chin, 
And with a feeling of relief. 

We tuck them snugly in. 

As birds of passage in their flight, 

The years wing swiftly on, 
And all too soon, with morning light. 

We'll long for faces gone; 
And yet, please God, some radiant day, 

Removed from strife and din 
Of earth, with glad content we'll say. 

The children all are in. 



CHAPTER IX. 

CHURCH. 

When Andrew was seven years old 
he united with the M. E. Church at 
Rock Island. At the same time 
twelve or more others were received, 
nearly all of whom were grown peo- 
ple. The pastor, Dr. McCullough, 
commenting on Andrew's size and 
age said, '^Who knows but in God's 
great day little Andrew will shine the 
brightest of them all." Andrew's 
grandfather, William B. Bruner, or 
"Uncle Billy," as he was affectionate- 
ly called, was a unique figure in the 
First Church at that time. A veteran 
of two wars (Mexican and Civil), gi 
class leader for thirty-five years, and 
an active member of the Epworth 
League. They sat down together, the 
veteran of eighty and the sweet-faced 

69 



70 Hoiv Andrew Won 

boy of seven, and the veteran's hand 
would be stretched out to pat the lit- 
tle grandson's head as he nestled 
down beside him, the picture of con- 
tent. For more than four years, until 
the old veteran was '^mustered out," 
they occupied the pew together, and 
were observed for their tender affec- 
tion for one another. The old veter- 
an greeted the new ^'recruit" again 
at ''roll call" on the day the waves of 
the Fox River closed over his little 
form when they took up service to- 
gether in the Kingdom. 

COMMUNION. 

Andrew was always a regular at- 
tendant at church. On the last Sun- 
day he attended both morning and 
evening services. The Sacrament of 
the Lord's Supper was observed in the 
morning, and he came forward with 
a boy friend to the altar, which was 
already filled. He remained stand- 
ing in the aisle, leaning against the 



How Andrew Won 71 

end of the seat directly ahead of the 
one occupied by his mother, who had 
just returned from the altar. 

As he stood reverently waiting, 
catching his mother's eye he gave 
her a sunny little smile. As she 
watched him kneeling at the altar 
rail while receiving the "elements," 
she was strangely moved to tears. 
Afterwards she called to mind the 
incident, and noted the exact spot 
where he had knelt when he last ate 
bread in the house of God before sit- 
ting down in ''His Kingdom.'^ 

SUNDAY SCHOOL. 

A few Sundays before the acci- 
dent, Andrew was asked to give a 
chalk talk before his Sunday School 
class. He gave the talk, using a cray- 
on and a large sheet of paper for that 
purpose. After the accident, Mrs. In- 
sley, his Sunday School teacher, 
placed the sheet in our hands, and it 
is one of the treasures hidden away 



72 How Andrew Won 

upon which we look at times and 
think of the little man who so faith- 
fully followed in the "Footsteps of 
the Master." 



ESuS THE aviOR /7 
01N6 i\6oy[0fllN6/7 



CHALK TALKS. 



74 How Andrew Won 

EASTER. 

Andrew had been selected to ex- 
tend a greeting to those attending the 
Easter Service on Sunday morning, 
April 15, 1906. When the exercises 
were held, the pastor read the greet- 
ing, for Andrew was singing his 
Easter Anthem with the ' 'Redeemed 
in White." The greeting was as fol- 
lows: 

''We have met here on the day of 
our Lord's Resurrection to commem- 
orate the gladdest morning of the 
year. It is the day when the rays 
of the rising sun showed an empty 
tomb where the body of our Lord had 
been placed, and when an angeFs 
voice said to the sorrowing mourners, 
"Why seek ye the living among the 
dead?" It is the gladdest day of all 
the year, because it gives us hope. Be- 
lieving in Christ's resurrection, we 
sorrow not as they who lay their dead 



How Andrew Won 75 

away forever, but rather as those who 
leave their loved ones for a little 
while in a peaceful sleep, sure of a 
glad awaking.'^ 



CHAPTER X. 

SUNNYSIDE. 

"Oh it is wonderful that He should care 

For me, enough to die for me. 
Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me," 

Sang Andrew. '^Say, Mamma, I 
just love that piece/' he said, and his 
voice rose full and clear again in his 
favorite song: 

"I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers 

me, 
Confused at the grace that so fully he 

proffers me; 
I tremble to know that for me He was 

crucified, 
That for me, a sinner. He suffered, He 

bled and died." 



THE WANDERING BOY. 

'That is not your lesson, Andrew," 
called a voice from the foot of the 
stairs, while his violin rang out from 
the room above on, "Where is my 

76 



Hoiv Andrew Won 77 

wandering boy tonight?" Suddenly 
the melody was changed and the mo- 
notonous notes of his exercise gave 
place to the tender song. "I wonder 
why I love that song so well/' he said 
afterwards. ^^It just keeps ringing in 
my head all the time." When a mem- 
ber of the Boys' Orchestra at the 
Young Men's Christian Association, 
he used to play it on his violin every 
Sunday afternoon while the boys 
were gathering. 

It was not an easy task for his 
music teacher, Professor Miller, to 
stand by his casket on the 
day of Andrew's '^Coronation," and 
play the cherished song, for on the 
music stand near by hung his silent 
instrument beneath a great cluster of 
Easter lilies. Somehow, the master 
saw only his pupil's face, but we who 
listened, saw the face of a pleading 
mother and heard her voice crying 
out for her wayward boy, ever longed 
for and loved, and when the instm- 



78 How Andrew Won 

ment, too, cried out for sorrow with a 
voice almost human, we forgot for 
the moment our own grief and min- 
gled our tears with those of the faith- 
ful, weeping mother, while the violin 
kept telling with ever increasing 
pathos, ''My heart overflows, for I 
love him he knows : Oh, where is my 
boy tonight?" And one mother rea- 
lized that ''pure as the morning dew^" 
her boy, unstained by sin, had 
reached the home where there is no 
more sorrow nor crying, where the 
dear ones "go out no more" and her 
heart was comforted. 



ENTERTAINMENT. 

"See the little fellow with the vio- 
lin," said one girl to another on the 
night the boys played at the League 
entertainment, "watch his face." 
They had played the "Palms" and 
when recalled played the famous 
"Glory Song." Lost to all else, with 



How Andrew Won 79 

his head thrown back and his great 
eyes looking away into space, An- 
drew played like one inspired 
through the sacred melody. No one 
who heard him on that night will 
ever forgot his uplifted face and eyes 
that shone like stars, as with each 
note growing sweeter and clearer, he 
played on to the close : 

"Friends will be there I have loved long ago, 
Joy like a river around me will flow, 

Yet, just a smile from my Saviour, I know 
Will through the ages. 
Be glory for me." 



FLOWERS. 

Andrew's love for flowers was ever 
apparent ; always a boutonniere when 
flowers were obtainable, and al- 
ways a plea to purchase flowers for 
the sick. Weeks after he left us we 
heard from various sources of kindly 
little acts that had endeared him to 
those who knew him. Close by his 
picture on the piano stands a little 



80 Row Andrew Won 

goblet (a gift from the grandmother 
who used to cuddle him to sleep like 
a wee bird at night) in which the 
flowers are kept fresh, and looking 
from his face to the flowers, we think 
of the Master's garden where he 
walks amidst flowers that never fade. 



THE FLOWER MISSION. 

On the Sunday before the accident, 
Andrew called together the members 
of his Sunday School class and sug- 
gested that they organize a flower 
band, save their pennies and supply 
flowers to those needing sympathy 
and cheer. Acting upon the sugges- 
tion afterwards, the ' 'Andrew Bruner 
Flower Mission" was organized in his 
class, and later, in the First Metho- 
dist Sunday School at Elgin, which 
in his memory will carry forward the 
work suggested by him. No flowers 
could be sweeter than the fragrance 
of his life, for there is nothing dearer 



How Andrew Won 81 

to God than a tender, loving heart, 
"For of such is the Kingdom," said 
the Master, Who also said, ^'Consider 
the Lilies." 



CHAPTER XI. 



WHAT THEY TOLD. 



From Miss Muse, Andrew's first 
teacher : 

*'I remember Andrew very well: 
how nearly every morning he came 
with some conundrum. With a rogu- 
ish twinkle in his eye, he would 
say, ^What is behind a star?' Of 
course, I did not know, and he would 
answer, ^A policeman/ Also, 'Oh, 
Miss Muse, did you hear about the 
Twentieth Street hill?' 'No, what?' 
'It's only a bluff.' This afforded 
great amusement for the rest of my 
large family. 

"His favorite poems were Longfel- 
low's 'Children's Hour,' 'Rover m 
Church,' and 'Little Boy Blue.' 

"Mr. Ferguson, the county super- 
intendent, used to call for those every 
time he came in, and it became a reg- 

82 



How Andrew Won 83 

ular part of the program for Andrew 
to recite when we had company. 

"He was so thoughtful of me. I 
remember once when I was standing 
to read a story, he slipped out of his 
seat, brought me a chair and said, 
'Miss Muse, you look tired, sit while 
you read.' 

"He was a worker. I cannot say 
a student, for we do not study in my 
baby room; quick to see the funny 
as well as the serious side ; always in 
his place, and always at it; my 
brightest pupil ; a favorite among his 
playfellows, and no one ever took his 
place until his brother James came 
to the baby room.'' 

From Miss Channon, Andrew's 
teacher in Rock Island: 

"A deep hush and gloom came 
over the teachers and pupils of the 
Lincoln School yesterday when we 
learned of the loss of dear little An- 
drew, and though I know how little 
words can comfort you, I hope at 



84 How Andrew Won 

least to tell you how deeply I sympa- 
thize with you and of how touch- 
ingly Andrew^s former schoolmates 
have expressed their sorrow. 

"While Andrew was in my room, 
just two years ago, I grew very fond 
of him. Aside from his being so 
bright and ambitious, his sunny 
smile and happy disposition were so 
irresistible with all that one felt to 
know him was to love him. In mem- 
ory's picture I carry a very vivid im- 
pression of his 'cherub face' (as we 
teachers so often described it) as he 
sat in a front seat. He was so tiny 
compared with his classmates near 
my desk. When he was interested 
particularly in some line, I can see 
his face light up yet with the in- 
tensity of thought he so repeatedly 
showed in ambitious application. 

"Andrew's life has not been in 
vain. He has lived and loved and 
been loved, which is all a manifesta- 
tion of the love divine. His influ- 



How Andrew Won 85 

ence of character is doubtless sown in 
many hearts from which God, in His 
own time, will bring forth fruit 
abundant." 



From Mrs. Lovett, Andrew's Sun- 
day School teacher, E-ock Island: 

"My acquaintance with Andrew 
as a member of my Sunday School 
class for so many months is cher- 
ished with pleasantest recollections. 
He was winning, always so respect- 
ful, and ever gave interest to the class 
and added so much to its welfare 
that he was always greatly missed by 
his classmates when unable to be 
present. He had a good wholesome 
influence upon the boys, remarkable 
for one so young. I remember sev- 
eral instances now when a word from 
him restored order to the class. In 
the class club, which the boys formed, 
and which met regularly for a while, 
Andrew held respectively the office of 
president and treasurer. 



86 How Andrew Won 

*'When out of town, Andrew held 
the interest of the class at heart, as 
his letters testify; one of them I en- 
close in which he sent little messages 
to the boys. We who knew him only 
to love him feel that a great blessing 
has been taken away, but we believe 
also that the Father had a place 
ready for him up yonder which he 
wished him to fill. I shall ever 
treasure the memory of my little 
friend. I have a little token which 
he gave me one Christmas day which 
rests always on my dressing table, 
and is a constant reminder of the 
giver." 

From a member of Aunt '^K's" 
family : 

"Our memories of Andrew are all 
very pleasant, and we think of him 
very often. Eugene spoke today of 
the Fourth of July three years ago 
when Andrew stayed all night with 



How Andrew Won 87 

him and they got up at three o'clock 
in the morning and went down town 
to shoot off their fire crackers before 
any one was up. 

''Mamma spoke of how proud she 
used to be of Andrew when she took 
him) to the little 'Light-Bearers' so- 
ciety for small children that meets 
once a year in June. Andrew would 
always take part so cheerfully and do 
so well. The last time he was here 
he spoke Eugene Field's 'Little Boy 
Blue.' We did not have a copy of it 
in the house and Mamma wanted 
him to write it for her, and recently 
we came across the manuscript. 

"On the Sunday before the acci- 
dent we found the wide brimmed 
straw hat that he had left in the 
wood shed two years ago when he re- 
turned home. We carried it up-stairs 
and laid it away and talked for an 
hour or more about Andrew. 

"Mamma used to miss him so 
much each time he returned home 



88 How Andrew Won 

about doing little errands for her. 
He always gathered the eggs and 
brought in the kindling and such 
things, and did it quickly and 
cheerfully. 

^'Mildred, (one of the twins) wants 
me to mention some wonderful bal- 
loons that Andrew brought to her 
and Millicent. They seem to remem- 
ber all about them." 



From Harry Chelseth, Andrew's 
playmate and chum: 

''I found Andrew to be a true 
friend, always willing to lend a help- 
ing hand, and one who thought of 
his friends during time of illness. 
Well do I remember the feeling of 
joy that came over me when they 
brought the bouquet with Andrew's 
card attached, to my bedside ' where 
I lay sick with fever. His kindness 
and pity for the sick and helpless 
was expressed in those flowers. 



How Andrew Won 89 

"He was a true Christian, for I 
recall one incident in particular that 
revealed his strong character. Some 
of his friends were planning to take 
a drive on Sunday morning and 
asked Andrew to accompany them. 
He waited some time before replying, 
and then he quietly said, 'No, I will 
not go. Eemember the Sabbath day 
to keep it holy.' His words so im- 
pressed the boys that they abandoned 
the drive and attended Sunday 
School. 

"He was a boy of his word, and in 
outdoor play was never known to 
play false or use other than the best 
of language. I will always esteem 
the name of Andrew Bruner, and 
though he is not with us, he is not, 
and will never be forgotten." 



From Dr. C. 0. McCuUough, Nor- 
mal, Illinois. 
"I can remember him so well in 



90 How Andrew Won 

company with the grayhaired grand- 
father, as he sat at the services in the 
House of the Lord. Very vivid in 
my mind is the picture of a little lad, 
some would perhaps think too small 
to be taken into the Church of God, 
standing at the end of a row of can- 
didates for church membership, to 
take the vows usually imposed upon 
such candidates before they are re- 
ceived into the fellowship of believers. 

He seemed to realize that he was 
enlisting to soldier under the banner 
of the Captain of our salvation, and 
with as firm a voice as any one 
in the line, he replied to each and all 
of the searching questions put to the 
class, and though I took occasion to 
call special attention to him because 
of his size and age, and expressed the 
thought that he might become the 
most noted of the class, yet he stood 
firmly, while the eyes of the whole 
congregation were fixed upon him. 

It has pleased God to permit him to 



How Andrew Won 91 

pass in ahead of many who witnessed 
his coming into the church, and 
those who would naturally be ex- 
pected to be taken into the excellent 
glory before he was called. It may 
be God wanted one of the children to 
take the grandfather by the hand and 
walk with him along the streets of 
gold, and so little Andrew was asked 
to come. God has not blundered, nor 
has He been surprised by accident too 
swift for his eye or hand, and bye 
and bye, when the mists have cleared 
away, we will see that 'He hath done 
all things well.' " 



EPWORTH LEAGUE. 

From Miss Taylor, President of the 
Junior League, Rock Island: 

"I think Andrew by nature was 
particularly friendly, and this gained 
for him friends everywhere. His in- 
terest in the Junior League was very 
gratifying, and he was very apt in 



92 How Andrew Won 

using the Bible. He was the only 
one in the primary division of the 
Junior League to complete what was 
known as the 'Chain of Seals' for 
memory work. He was always ready 
with a verse of Scripture, and his 
singing was an inspiration. He was 
a very enthusiastic member of the 
Anti-Cigarette League also. We all 
remember how often he sat with his 
grandfather in that front pew in the 
church, but none of us thought he 
would so soon be called to follow him 
to the better country." 

As I write there lies before me a 
little New Testament, on the fly leaf 
of which is written these words : *An- 
drew Bruner, for regular attendance 
at Junior League, Eock Island, Feb- 
ruary 8, 1903. 



From Mrs. Crandall, who drilled 
the children for Christmas entertain- 
ments : 



How Andrew Won 93 

''He seemed by nature endowed to 
lead his fellows, and they seemed 
willing to follow where he led. My 
association with Andrew was princi- 
pally at Christmas time when he took 
part in the church entertainments. 
He was one that I could depend upon 
at all times. He never failed or fal- 
tered. As leader of the 'Icicle' boys in 
our Christmas cantata, he stood first. 
After going through his drill once, 
I felt that my work was half finished, 
for he was always ready to head and 
lead his little army to success. To my 
mind, had his life been spared, he 
would have been, not only a comfort 
to his parents, but an honor to the 
name he bore. He was unusually 
bright, and never, in my experience 
with the boys, have I found one to 
equal him in memory.'^ 



From Mrs. Ralph Insley, Andrew's 
last Sunday School teacher: 



94 How Andrew Won 

"To know him was to love him, 
and I knew him the first time I met 
him and felt that he was deserving of 
a much better instructor than 1, but 
no one could have loved him any bet- 
ter than I. Andrew has lived his lit- 
tle hour with us here, and his mem- 
ory is prized by all with whom he 
came in contact, and the sweet fra- 
grance of his sympathetic, loving 
heart and smiling face will be lasting 
as eternity. 

"I never knew the value of a sunny 
smile until the Lord took little An- 
drew to live with Him. I can never 
be quite the same again. His life 
has been an inspiration to better 
thoughts and loftier ideals. He was 
very anxious just before he left us 
that our class should form itself into 
a club and distribute flowers among 
the sick and needy, but before the 
arrangements could be completed he 
went to be with the Lord, Vhich is 
far better/ and his classmates who 



Kow Andrew Won 95 

love and revere his memory have 
formed the club to be known as the 
'Andrew Bruner Flower Mission,' and 
as I watch the boys, how they are 
emulating his example in 'going 
about doing good' and scattering sun- 
shine, I feel that Andrew, 'being dead 
yet speaketh/ 

'"■'He was always in his place in the 
Sunday School and always greeted 
me with a sunny smile and when 
questioned regarding the lesson, 
seemed wise beyond his years in an- 
swering it. 

"The Sunday following his 'Cor- 
onation Day,' his vacant chair was 
decorated with Easter lilies symbolic 
of the 'resurrection and the life.' " 

"He Is not dead, the child of our affection, 

But gone to that school 
Where he no longer needs our poor pro- 
tection, 

And Christ Himself doth rule. 
In that great cloister's stillness and seclu- 
sion 

By Guardian Angels led; 
Safe from temptation — 
Safe from sin's pollution: 

He lives — whom we call dead." 



96 How Andrew Won 

From Miss Major, Andrew's Sun- 
day School teacher, Kock Island: 

"In Andrew's last letter to me, he 
was telling me how, by being just 
twelve years old he was permitted to 
sing in the great choir during the 
Biederwolf meetings at Elgin. Lit- 
tle did I think when I read his letter 
that he would so soon be singing with 
the Heavenly chorus. His dear boy- 
ish letters did my heart good." 



From Mr. Badger, Department Su- 
perintendent, Sunday School, Elgin : 

"I will remember Andrew, most on 
account of his last day in Sunday 
School when I taught his class. His 
interest and knowledge of the lesson, 
and his promptness and intelligence 
in answering questions was remark- 
able, and had I not urged the other 
boys to answer, he would have an- 
swered every question on the lesson. 



Kow Andrew Won 97 

I do not think the recollection of that 
day in the class with him will ever be 
effaced from my memory." 



The following letter from Paul re- 
garding him, written at Moline, July, 
1906, tells of his interest in the game 
of baseball : 

''The first thing when I meet any 
one they remark Andrew's going 
away, and every one has a good word 
for the little fellow. I think, more 
and more now, how sad it was that 
he should have been taken when he 
showed so much promise. Mr. John- 
ston was telling me the other day, 
how, last summer, Andrew was wild 
to go to the ball games, and he would 
be so busy, but several times he had 
promised Andrew to go, and when 
the time came, busy as he was, he 
dropped his work and attended the 
game. He said Andrew knew all the 



98 How Andrew Won 

players, even on the opposing teams, 
and knew what town the home play- 
ers were from and all about them. 
He would say, 'Ah, here's Pete Lister, 
he's a peach of a batter, and if the 
player made a hit, Andrew would be 
as happy as if he had received 
$25.00, but if the player struck out, 
he would almost cry. At one game 
there was a scrap between two play- 
ers, and before it was fairly started, 
Andrew had jumped the fence and 
was out in the center of the diamond, 
and when Mr. Johnston looked, there 
he stood right between the two play- 
ers, looking up first into the face of 
one and then the other, listening 
with all his might. At the same 
game, Andrew spied Uncle Os over 
on the bleachers and cried, 'Hello 
there, Uncle Os/ in his hearty way, 
and Uncle Os lifted Andrew up on 
his shoulder and the two sat to- 
gether and yelled and 'rooted,' and 
had a great time. In closing, Mr. 



How Andrew Won 



Johnston said, 'My, how he loved 
baseball. Poor little fellow/ and then 
he sat real still for a few moments and 
I thought he was going to cry. An- 
drew had a good time at Johnstons' 
last summer. I believe he got more 
enjoyment out of life than any one 
I ever knew." 



From Frank, written at Winni- 
peg, Canada: 

^'I was grieved to learn from your 
letter that the home was so broken 
up over Andrew's sad leaving. At 
any rate, in his short life he left a 
wonderful memory behind him, fra- 
grant with the redolence of a thou- 
sand little acts of kindness through 
which the sunshine of love was al- 
ways intermingling. The little inci- 
dent of the old man to whom he had 
carried flowers, and the sight of his 
little boy and girl friends sobbing 
their hearts out after the funeral, are 

Lore . 



100 How Andrew Won 

still before me, and I cannot but 
think what a wonderful thing it was 
to live such a life. If I could look 
back over my own life today, and re- 
member one half as many good deeds 
as little Andrew, I would be very hap- 
py, and if there is any one thing 
that should reconcile you to An- 
drew's loss, it is the fact that he was 
one boy in a thousand, and left the 
world better for having lived here." 



CHAPTER XII. 

THE HOMELAND. 

On the day of the accident, the 
family gathered in the study for 
prayers immediately following the 
morning meal. Afterwards we re- 
membered that the lesson read was 
Eevelation 22, and told of the River 
of Water of Life, clear as crystal, 
proceeding from the Throne of God 
and the Lamb, and the tree of life 
with twelve manner of fruits, the 
leaves of which were for the healing 
of the nations. After prayer, the 
morning hymn was sung by the en- 
tire family: 

"Faith of our Fathers, Holy Faith, 
We will be true to thee till death." 

It was Andrew's last song before 
he joined the "Choir Invisible." He 
had finished his violin exercise be- 

101 



102 Hoiv Andrew Won 

fore breakfast and at once began to 
work on his lesson to make up for 
time lost on account of illness. Urged 
to join in an orchestra selection, he 
replied, *'I can't do it, boys, I must 
work on my lesson." While he was 
bending over the unfinished lesson, 
Philip and Paul began together to 
play on the cornet and piano, "Be- 
yond the Gates of Paradise." Sweet 
and clear the sacred song rang out, 
and three times the clear blue eyes 
were raised to the east window in si- 
lent wonder. The rays of the morn- 
ing sun fell tenderly on the spot 
where he had so often stood with his 
violin. A robin called softly to its 
mate from the maple tree, but his 
wondrous blue eyes were turned away 
from his book to drink in the beauty 
of the glorious spring morning. Who 
can doubt that through the open 
window he caught a glimpse of the 
city with jasper walls into which he 
was so soon to enter, and heard ce- 



How Andrew Won 103 

lestial voices singing to lure him 
away to join in the glad new song, 
^^Beyond the Gates of Paradise." 

His violin, upon which no note 
has since sounded, remains a silent 
tribute to the faithful little master. 



"coronation day." 

No one appeared to wonder on the 
day of Andrew's "Coronation" that 
the house of mourning was almost 
turned to a house of praise, for his 
favorite songs were sung, and the 
chapter read which he had last heard 
at family worship. Dr. Clendening, 
his pastor, told of the useful, happy 
little life, of his thoughtfulness for 
his mother, affection for the family 
and love for his home. His teacher 
played his favorite selection on the 
violin, while his playmates wept for 
the little friend they had learned to 
love, and all through the service 
there was told the story of an unsel- 



104 How Andrew Won 

fish little life that brought every 
member of the company close to the 
Man of Sorrows, and sent them away 
with tears on their faces and words 
ringing in their ears that meant 
larger sympathy and increasing 
loyalty to the Master. 



On the Sunday evening before he 
left us, Andrew attended the evening 
service with Mr. Bayard, the church 
organist. Afterwards he said, "The 
prelude was beautiful." It was 
"Jerusalem the Golden," and on the 
day of his "Coronation," Mr. Bayard 
played it softly on the piano, while 
the school children passed by the 
flower covered casket, and those who 
watched the face of the player will 
never forget the expression of ten- 
derness, for as his fingers touched the 
keys and the instrument gave back 
the sweet old story, the player caught 



How Andrew Won 105 

a 'Vision of the unseen/' and the 
earthly music merged into the glad 
refrain away yonder in the city of 
"Jerusalem the Golden." 



WHERE HE SLEEPS. 

In Reynolds, fifteen miles from his 
old home in Rock Island, in the 
beautiful little cemetery on the hill, 
he sleeps. Here on Aunt "K's'' farm 
nearby he spent his summer vaca- 
tions; here it was that he organized 
the village boys into a ball team and 
attracted attention by his intense 
earnestness in play; here in summer 
he attended Sunday School and was 
known as Bible student and faith- 
ful scholar. Stretching away to the 
northwest are the waving fields of 
grain; above, the fleecy summer 
clouds; around, the drowsy hum of 
bees in the sweet clover, and the 
shrubs and trees that beautify the 
silent little city. 



106 How Andrew Won 

In the rows of evergreen trees 
that skirt the grounds, the doves 
have built their nests, and through 
the long summer days gently 
coo to their little ones. No harsh 
or discordant note disturbs his 
peaceful sleep, dear little man of 
precious memory. One of the songs 
he loved comes back to us with un- 
told comfort today. Listening, we 
hear his voice sweet and clear sing- 
ing as in the glad old days, and the 
words of the song are these: 

"Sleep on, beloved, sleep and take thy rest, 
Lay down thy head upon the Saviour's 

breast ; 
We loved thee well, but Jesus loves thee 

best, 
Good-night, good-night, good-night. 

Until the Easter glory lights the skies, 
Until the dead in Jesus shall arise 
And He shall come but not in lowly guise, 
Good-night, good-night, good-night. 

Only good-night, beloved, not farewell; 
A little while and all His saints shall dwell 
In hallowed union indivisible. 
Good-night, good-night, good-night. 






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